National Painting Museum, Art museum in Vişnezade district, Istanbul, Turkey.
The National Painting Museum occupies the Crown Prince Residence within Dolmabahçe Palace and displays over 200 paintings arranged throughout the building. The rooms are organized to reflect how artwork was displayed in a royal home rather than as a traditional gallery.
The building was constructed in 1856 as part of the palace complex and previously served residential and exhibition purposes for decades. Comprehensive renovations that began in 2010 transformed it into its current form as a dedicated painting museum.
The collection features works by Ottoman painters such as Şeker Ahmed Pasha and Osman Hamdi Bey, along with European artists who worked at court. These paintings reflect the tastes and international connections that shaped the palace.
The museum is accessible to visitors who can move through the rooms at their own pace, with manageable crowd levels throughout the building. Comfortable footwear is recommended since exploring the collection requires climbing stairs and walking through multiple levels.
The Ceremony Hall displays an exclusive collection of paintings by Russian artist Ivan Aivazovsky, revealing how the Ottoman court valued European artistic traditions. These works are found in few other places outside of Russia.
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